Knowing Black
by the-writer1988
Summary: <html><head></head>The Weasley's move into Grimmauld Place. How do they feel about living with a notorious – albeit innocent – mass murderer? Weasley family/Black bonding short.</html>
1. The Truth

**Title: **Knowing Black

**Author: **the-writer1988

**Rating: **K+

**Summary: **The Weasley's move into Grimmauld Palace. How do they feel about living with a notorious – albeit innocent – mass murderer? Weasley family/Black bonding short.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter. The lovely JKRowling does!

**Notes: **Been a while since I wrote anything in the Harry Potter fandom... but this idea came to me and I haven't been able to find any fics about this subject so I decided to write my own! This will be a short story... Probably around 6 chapters.

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><p><strong>Knowing Black<strong>

**One**

"Weasley's! Family gathering!" called Arthur, up the stair case in the Burrow. His wife was already in the living room, worry etched on her face. She was still upset over Percy leaving, for deciding to believe the lies of the Ministry over his own family. Molly would find it difficult to get over Percy's betrayal, how he had put his career first ahead of family. A Weasley was always taught loyalty was paramount to who they were… Arthur shook his head. He had more important things to worry about for now.

They had Dumbledore on the way to their house. It was barely a few weeks since the end of term, since Harry Potter had revealed the truth about You-Know-Who… How he had returned… Yet no one believed it and Harry was being branded a liar… Arthur had seen the papers, seen the attempts by the Ministry to cover it up… They were all in denial.

But not Arthur.

He trusted Dumbledore.

But still…

…the thought of the Dark Lord being back to full strength was a terrifying thought. Did that mean his family were no longer safe? Their association with Harry Potter would put them in danger.

Above the stairs creaked as each of his children descended, entering into the small living room, and confused looks on their faces. They knew something was up. They all knew You-Know-Who was back, but unlike Percy, they were remaining loyal to the family. You-Know-Who would not stay quiet for long, not with one of his most fanatic supporters out there.

Arthur shivered. The events of two years ago was coming back to bite the Wizarding World.

Sirius Black had been on the run for two years. There was no doubt in Arthur's mind that Black had aided his Master's return to full power. If only he had not escaped from Hogwarts the night he had been apprehended… or better yet, had never escaped Azkaban in the first place… Would the events of last month still have happened?

Arthur sighed. There was nothing he could do about it now. He could only stand up for what he believed in.

He walked slowly into the living room, all of his family – those that were loyal – sat around, confusion evident in their faces. The only one missing, save from Percy, was Charlie, who was on a mission for Dumbledore in Romania, recruiting foreign wizards to the cause. Unbeknownst to their children, Arthur and Molly had recently joined the Order of the Phoenix, a society that was dedicated to stopping the advance of the Dark Lord.

"Dad, what's going on?" asked Ron.

"Albus Dumbledore needs to talk to all of us," he replied. "He is arriving shortly."

"Is this something to do with You-Know-Who?" questioned Ginny. His little girl was growing up so fast.

"It is." Arthur exchanged looks with his wife. They all knew that they couldn't keep their children in the dark, whatever Dumbledore wanted to talk to them about, it had to be something important that would involve his children, even if he didn't like the idea of it. Dumbledore had mentioned to them about possibly moving into the newly found headquarters of the Order, which Molly and Arthur had discussed.

It would be safer for their children and for Harry - when he came to stay. They would be in a secure place, guarded by wizards loyal to Dumbledore and, no doubt, the house would be enchanted to stop anyone finding it.

There was a knock at the door jolting Arthur from his thoughts.

He got to his feet, walked across the room and opened the door.

Albus Dumbledore stood in the doorway, his robes of light purple, his eyes sad and his white beard trailing down to his waist. The Headmaster looked _old_, the stress of the last few weeks wearing him out. Dumbledore was fighting a losing battle with the Ministry.

"Come in," Arthur stepped aside to allow the older man into his home.

"Thank you, Arthur," nodded Dumbledore. He swept into the living area, his eyes casting around at the children seated before settling on Arthur and Molly, who were now sitting side-by-side. "Thank you for agreeing to my request to have your children here for this meeting. There are some things they must know, especially if you have made a decision regarding my other offer?" He looked hopeful at them.

"We have," began Arthur slowly. "Would it be secure?"

"Yes, I am Secret Keeper. Only those that are told the location will know where headquarters is," explained Dumbledore. "And the house is unplottable. Charms that expired years ago have now been renewed. It is, perhaps, the safest house in Wizarding Britain."

"Dad?" Fred began but Arthur waved his hand.

"Then we will move to the headquarters for now," agreed Arthur.

"Good," smiled Dumbledore. "The owner will be pleased to have guests."

A flash of panic crossed Molly's face. "Aren't you the owner?"

They had all assumed Dumbledore was.

"No, I am not, but he has kindly lent me the house to use as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix." Here Dumbledore's face swept around the room, his eyes meeting those of the Weasley children.

"The Order of the Phoenix?" George asked. It was an inevitable question.

Dumbledore inclined his head. "It is an organisation that was around during the first war and now has been reinstated in light of Voldemort's return. That is all you need to know."

Everyone flinched at the name and a collective shudder went around the room.

"So, the Order fights the Death Eaters then?" pointed out Fred, quite astute in what his Headmaster had said, noted Arthur. Guessing without being need to be told.

Dumbledore inclined his head. "However, as you have agreed to move into headquarters, there are a few things you must know. Especially about the owner of the house."

Arthur voiced the question everyone was thinking. "Who is the owner?"

"Sirius Black," answered Dumbledore serenely.

"WHAT?" Arthur exploded. He fumbled for his words. "But… he's…. Surely he's with You-Know-Who?"

Arthur wasn't the only one in the room protesting the news, though he noted with some concern that Ron did not seem to mind. Why?

Dumbledore was shaking his head, raising his hands for quiet. "Sirius Black is innocent of all the crimes he was charged with."

"But… _how_?" whispered Arthur.

Dumbledore looked towards Ron. "Perhaps young Ronald Weasley could explain. He knows the truth."

Ron looked like a dear with headlights on as he swallowed.

"And, Molly, you saw him at Hogwarts only a few weeks ago," said Dumbledore. "He was nothing but kind to Harry. You saw they care for one another. Sirius is working with me to protect Harry. I once thought he was a traitor but I was wrong."

Again Arthur had to voice the question they were all thinking. "How?"

Ron cleared his throat. "Remember Scabbers?" His eyes and face seemed to fill with disgust at the name.

"He died in your third year, didn't he?" piped up Ginny.

Ron nodded. "That's what I told mum and dad. But Scabbers wasn't really a rat…"

"What?" Molly's face turned even paler then it already had done.

"Scabbers was a wizard," continued Dumbledore, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

Arthur had read the stories in the papers, he knew the crimes of which Black had committed. "Black killed Pettigrew," he stated.

"No, he didn't, as Harry, Ron and Hermione found out," said Dumbledore.

Every Weasley looked at Ron.

"What are you keeping from us, Ronald Weasley?" Molly snapped.

Ron sighed. Arthur could see his son knew he was not getting out of this.

"Perhaps it would be better if I explained?" smiled Dumbledore. He had never intended for Arthur's youngest son to tell the story.

Ron leapt at the chance. "Please!"

"You all know the story of Sirius Black, what his crimes were, but most do not know the whole story. I suppose this story begins in 1971, when Sirius Black entered Hogwarts. Sirius surprised me because I am normally a good judge of character and I assumed, due to his family's past history, that he would be sorted into Slytherin, and follow the footsteps that some of his older relatives were doing. Sirius, however, was sorted into Gryffindor."

A collective gasp ran around the room.

A Black, a Gryffindor? That was unheard of. Ravenclaw was an acceptable choice, Arthur knew for stringent Pure-Blood families, but for a Black to be in Gryffindor?

"I was surprised myself but I vowed to keep an eye on him. Black must have had qualities that meant he was a Gryffindor at heart, despite his heritage. I watched Sirius carefully through his seven years at Hogwarts, and despite making a few mistakes, I believed at the end of it, the Sorting Hat had been wise in placing him in Gryffindor. He had close friends… Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin –"

"Professor Lupin?" George interrupted.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. One of the main reasons I bought Professor Lupin into my school two years ago was because he was best placed to know Sirius Black. But that is immaterial now. Sirius' best friend was James Potter, Harry's father. The two of them were inseparable, quite the trouble-makers, much like yourselves," he inclined his head at the twins, a slight sparkle in his eye. "Even when they left school, they remained the best of friends. When James married Lily Evans, Sirius was their best man and when Harry was born, he was named godfather." Here Dumbledore bowed his head. "But I knew Voldemort wanted to kill the Potters, and they had narrowly escaped with their lives several times. We knew there was a traitor in the Potter's inner circle. I suspected Sirius Black. Shunned by his family but still fully capable of turning to the dark side, I believed the worst in him. I never gave him the chance to explain himself."

Arthur could see how Dumbledore regretted his actions of that time. It was eating at the old man how he could have made such a crucial mistake.

"I advised the Potter's to go into hiding, using the Fidelius Charm. I offered myself to be their Secret Keeper but they refused, choosing to elect Sirius to bear that honour. Barely a few days after the charm was cast, James and Lily were murdered. I gave evidence to the Wizarding Wizangamot that Sirius was their Secret Keeper. Sirius was apprehended barely a day later when he was caught at the scene of an explosion in a muggle street which killed thirteen people including Peter Pettigrew. Sirius was not questioned or given a trial, he was thrown in Azkaban, the evidence against him was overwhelming and the matter was laid to rest," explained Dumbledore. "We all thought he was the traitor but the events of a year ago proved that everything had been interpreted wrongly."

Arthur swallowed. He could not see how Black could be innocent.

"But what has this got to do with Scabbers?" asked Molly. Her face was white.

"Everything," answered Dumbledore. "I didn't know at the time but it appears Mr Lupin's condition caused his three friends to decide to become Animagi. Right under my very nose. They achieved this feat still at school, each could transform at will. Black became a dog, which is why he has been able to remain on the run for so long. He never registered either making the Aurors job to locate him exceptionally difficult. Pettigrew transformed into a _rat_. James and Lily swapped Secret Keepers without telling me. Sirius was not their Secret Keeper as he knew Voldemort would come after him. It was his idea of a double bluff, that using Peter was the sensible option. Who would believe that Pettigrew would be their Secret Keeper? It was Pettigrew that betrayed the Potter's to their deaths. Consumed with grief over what he had done, Sirius tracked Peter down. Peter accused Sirius of betraying the Potter's, then blew apart the street with his wand behind his back, cut off his own finger and then transformed into a rat, fleeing into the sewers, while Sirius paid the price for crimes he did not commit."

"And then, barely a few days after that, Percy found a rat…" whispered Arthur. He remembered Percy bringing a rat home, asking to keep him, which they had allowed. It fit… the whole story. And the rat had been missing a toe…

"Rats live for three years at the most…" Dumbledore explained.

Arthur felt ill. "We've been harbouring a Death Eater for twelve years?"

Dumbledore nodded sadly. "Pettigrew needed to be around a Wizarding family. If his old master returned, he could easily return to the fold."

"But if Black knew Pettigrew was an animagus, how did he find out where he was?" whispered Bill. This was the first time he had spoken during Dumbledore's long explanation.

Ron cleared his throat. "Our trip to Egypt was in the paper. Sirius said Fudge inspected Azkaban. He asked for the paper… Fudge gave it to him… and he saw our photo, recognising Scabbers."

"And that's why he broke out of Azkaban," swallowed Arthur. "Not to kill Harry but Pettigrew…"

"He did. Sirius tried several attempts to kill Pettigrew, but as we did not know the truth, we all assumed Harry was the target. When I found out the truth after Sirius had been captured at Hogwarts, and heard the same story from Harry, Ron and Hermione, I knew I had to do everything in my power to prevent the Dementor's Kiss from being administered. Cornelius was not having any of it, believing Black had confounded them. But Black's story made more sense and, he even gave me his memories, to prove his innocence, which I hope to one day use as testimony of his innocence if Fudge ever realises what a huge mistake has been made. The current climate in our world ensures that these memories cannot be used to clear his name yet. I was short of time. It was Harry and Hermione that helped Sirius escape from Hogwarts. Since then Harry has remained in contact with Sirius, and, I believe the three of you met him in Hogsmeade earlier this year," pointed out Dumbledore.

"You did?" Arthur looked at his youngest son.

Ron shrugged. "Yeah. He gave Harry advice to get through the tasks."

"Where is Pettigrew now?" asked Molly.

"Unfortunately, he escaped and has returned to Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "This means that Sirius has to remain hidden for his own protection. His animagus form will be known to Voldemort now. It is unsafe for him to continue to be on the run. Fortunately, despite being labelled a blood-traitor by his family, Sirius still inherited his childhood home, and has kindly offered it as headquarters. Sirius Black is an innocent man."

Quiet ran around the room, everyone processing the information that Dumbledore had just given them.

Arthur had a hard time believing the story though he admitted it did make sense. And Ron had known for a whole year… "Are you sure he is safe?"

"Yes, I am. Sirius is loyal to the Order and always has been. His priority is keeping Harry safe. If Pettigrew had not escaped Hogwarts and been handed over to the relevant authorities, Sirius would have been freed and would have taken custody of Harry. As his godfather, he has the legal right to petition for him," explained Dumbledore. "There will always be other members of the Order entering and leaving the house though Sirius is its permanent occupant. Remus Lupin is currently staying with him, until he is needed on assignments himself. I can understand your trepidation, but Sirius is a brave, innocent man who has suffered badly for the mistakes he has made. Give him a chance and get to know him. When Harry eventually arrives at headquarters, you will see how much the two mean to one another. I know it will not be easy to accept his innocence, but make the effort and get to know him… Sirius will extend the same courtesy to all of you."

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><p>Arthur went to bed that night with his mind racing. So much had come out of that meeting with Dumbledore. His family was going to be living under the roof of a murderer… well, an innocent one.<p>

It was still hard to believe that Black could be. Arthur knew he would be wary of the man, how could one not be? For the Wizarding World to believe Black was guilty of those crimes in the first place, surely there must have been something in him that showed he was fully capable of betrayal and murder? Or had it been his surname that had made people so easily believe that? Everyone knew the reputation of the Black family…

He knew Molly was awake next to him, scared and worried about what the next day would bring. To be fair, he felt the same to. He knew he wouldn't trust the man so easily, but he wouldn't write him off either. He was Harry's godfather…

They would have to learn to trust Sirius Black and forget the crimes that he had been associated with for all these long years. Perhaps the first step, as Dumbledore had rightly suggested, was to get to know the man behind the mask?

It was the least the Weasley family could do.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think!**

**I thought Dumbledore would explain everything in detail to the Weasley family. And I wanted to show that explanation too. How were the characters? I decided to write mainly in Arthur's POV, first time ever, so I'm not sure if it came out right or not. Did it? **

**The next chapter deals with the Weasley family arriving at Grimmauld Place and meeting Lupin and, of course, Sirius... **

**This will be a short story, roughly 6 chapters. **

**Until next time,**

**the-writer1988**


	2. Meeting Black

**Thank you for the comments for the first chapter. I estimate this story will last about 6 chapters. So, here is the next chapter... in which the Weasley's arrive at Grimmauld Place. **

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><p><strong>Two<strong>

Grimmauld Place loomed above them; the house that concealed Sirius Black was just a few steps in front of them. Arthur could feel his heart beating hard in his chest, a sense of worry curling in his stomach. His instinct as a father was to protect all of his children, tell them to turn around and return to the Burrow.

But it was safer for them at headquarters. Dumbledore's protections, coupled with the spells laid by Sirius' Black's father made the house unplottable. No one could find it, not even the members of the Black family that were now Death Eaters. It had become their safe haven, a place they needed to have if they were to be ready for You-Know-Who's attack.

It would happen eventually, Arthur was sure of it.

Arthur stepped towards the door, walked up the steps and knocked loudly on the door.

A few minutes passed before the door opened. To Arthur's relief the man behind it was not Sirius Black, rather it was Remus Lupin.

The younger man had brown hair, closely cropped to the back of his neck and a very slight fringe. He had a bit of a moustache and the start of a beard on his chin. Several scars ran down his cheeks. Remus held out a hand and Arthur took it, shaking it.

"Welcome to Grimmauld Place," smiled Lupin broadly. He opened the door wider, allowing the Weasley family to enter. "Stay quiet… We don't want to wake _her _up."

Arthur looked quizzically at Lupin but the other man only shook his head. Arthur whispered over his shoulder. "Everyone, quiet!"

Lupin led the Weasley's quietly through the ground floor. Arthur could see Molly cringing at the state of the house. Dust was everywhere.

"We're trying to clean this house up but its proving to be quite a challenge," explained Lupin in a whisper.

We, Arthur realised, meant Lupin and Sirius Black.

Lupin led them down the hallway, past a moth-bitten curtain, and down a further set of stairs into the kitchen. "We can freely talk in here. You have to be quiet when you enter the house because of the portrait underneath the curtains."

Arthur saw the twins throw identical mischief grins. He glared at them. "Don't even think about it, boys."

"Sirius wouldn't like it if you woke his mother up. That portrait can scream the house down. That's why we keep her covered. But if we make too much noise, she wakes up automatically," Lupin elaborated.

"How long has the house been like this?" whispered Molly.

"At least ten years," shrugged Lupin. "Sirius is the only living relative who can access this house. As the direct heir, he is the one in control. Sirius' mother died a decade ago… The house fell into disuse since there was no direct descendent around to keep it up to scratch."

Of course, Black had been in Azkaban. "Where is he anyway?" Arthur had been expecting Black to show his face before now. They'd barely been in the house ten minutes.

"Upstairs. We decided that I would greet you first. We both know you may find it hard to accept him, considering the reputation he has had for the last thirteen years," replied Lupin casually.

Arthur didn't know what to say. He was still struggling with the concept that Black was innocent. It seemed so unbelievable.

"Sirius understands," added Lupin. "If Pettigrew is ever caught and he is proven innocent, it will be exceptionally difficult for Sirius to be accepted. He will live with these crimes for the rest of his life. His name is forever tarnished." He beckoned to the table. "Sit. I made soup."

The kitchen was perhaps the cleanest part of the house, the room that had clearly been worked on first of all it seemed. Each of the Weasley's sat around the table, as Lupin busied himself at the stove.

He conjured plates and utensils, levitating them from cabinets and draws, settling them down in front of each of the Weasley's.

"It's not much," mentioned Lupin, "but we had limited food in. Albus only told us you were coming last night. And Sirius can't exactly go food shopping… And we know I'm being watched due to my past association with Sirius as children. All of us have come under suspicion now… We all have to be wary of our movements."

"I can go out and get some," offered Molly. "I can't lead them back here, can I?"

Lupin shook his head. "No. They might figure out the general vicinity in which we are but they'd never be able to get in here unless one of us told them."

Molly relaxed.

Arthur could see that she was trying not to feel worried or concerned about being here. He knew she would look forward to the challenge of turning Grimmauld Place back into a place fit for human habitation.

"That is very kind of you to go and get some food for us," a new, quiet and clam voice said from behind them.

Every Weasley head turned, focusing upon the man leaning on the door frame, a slight smile on his face, and his eyes dancing, but Arthur could detect darkness or rather a void within them. He had a deadened look and despite his eyes dancing, the smile didn't reach them. Azkaban had hurt Sirius Black in more ways than Arthur could have ever considered.

Lupin moved from the stove. "Sirius. This is the Weasley family."

Black moved forward and held out his hand to Arthur.

Arthur stared at the hand. A long moment seemed to pass before Arthur summoned the courage to take it. What he decided to do, his family would accept, however if he refused Black's kind gesture, then he was certain Ron would fight Black's corner. It did worry Arthur that his son had been in contact with a wanted criminal… But if Ron did not feel threatened and both Harry and Dumbledore trusted Black, then couldn't Arthur?

He had, after all, opened his home up to them.

Black smiled as Arthur took his hand in a firm grip, shaking it.

"I'm Arthur, Ron's dad, who I believe you are already well acquainted with."

A wry smile crossed Black's face. "You might say that. Your son helped me. I owe him."

Black moved around the table, shaking each of the Weasley's hand and introducing himself.

Finally, the Azkaban escapee seated himself at the end of the table, with Lupin sitting next to him, having bought over the now heated and ready to eat soup.

Silence seemed to descend upon the table.

"Dinner is ready," Lupin cleared his throat after a few minutes of silence.

This was awkward. Arthur knew it. They had to break the ice somehow.

It was Lupin that spoke first, trying to initiate a conversation. "So, Fred and George, are you two remaining on the Gryffindor Quidditch team?"

The twins nodded. "Of course. We're too good for them to kick us off!"

Black nearly choked on his soup.

Arthur raised an eyebrow as he considered the man's reaction.

"I was too good and I got kicked off," smirked Black.

Lupin laughed. "I doubt Fred and George will do what you did."

"What did you do?" asked Ron, his mouth full of soup, taking the chance to try to open the conversation up, but forgetting that he had a mouthful of soup.

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" chastised Mrs Weasley.

Ron turned a shade of red.

Black shrugged. "I may have taken my position as Beater a bit too seriously… especially when it came to Slytherin members…"

"Isn't that the point of Quidditch though?" asked Ginny. "You have to stop the Bludgers from hitting other players, so you hit it back at others."

"Sirius was more… err…" Lupin searched for the right word. "…More hard on them."

"By that, I was responsible for landing half the Slytherin team in the hospital wing after one match…" answered Sirius, "which led to me being kicked off the team."

Fred and George gaped. Arthur watched his son's reactions carefully.

"But you were just playing the game! How is it your fault that the Slytherin's couldn't defend themselves properly?" replied Fred, sounding slightly angry on Sirius' behalf.

Black slurped at his soup. "They thought there was something else within it. I'd been 'beaten up' a few days before by the Slytherin team, or at least they tried to anyway. They wanted to take me out of action... But because I reacted against them in the match, the Professors deduced that I was intentionally ensuring the Slytherin Beaters couldn't get the Bludgers to hit back at any member of the Gryffindor team. The way I played certainly looked like that. I was all over the Bludgers during that match."

"I maintain to this day that Sirius's expulsion from the Quidditch team for the rest of the year was wrong. I watched that match," replied Lupin, "and the Slytherins did play badly. And Sirius was a brilliant Quidditch player. Not as skilled as James though."

Black shrugged again. "I was allowed back on the team the following year though. James appealed to McGonagall to give me a second chance. As he was head boy, she agreed, providing of course I played fairly. Though our last year at Hogwarts was darkened by the rising dark side and there was a lot of anger between houses. Quidditch matches were a way of getting that out."

Arthur could understand. The late seventies had been a time of dark reckoning for the Wizarding World. People were killed, betrayed by their friends or family to stay alive, and some chose to fight back, only losing when they were overwhelmed. It had been a difficult time for the Wizarding World.

"And I was a target," muttered Black, almost darkly.

"Why would an underage wizard be a target?" asked Molly.

Black looked at her as if she was mad. "Harry is. And he's still underage."

"Harry I can understand, but you were at Hogwarts," she pointed out. "Out of the war."

Black folded his arms across his chest.

Arthur could see tension brewing.

Lupin interrupted. "Sirius was disowned by his parents. To them he was a blood-traitor. That made him a target. And the fact he associated with Potters, muggleborns and was a _Gryffindor_, was enough for them to consider him no longer a part of their family. To his family he was a disgrace to the name of Black. They were quite happy for budding Death Eaters at Hogwarts to try to take him out, if they could. It didn't help that Bellatrix Lestrange, one of Voldemort's most stringent supporters, was out to get him whenever she could."

Black sneered. "My parents didn't take kindly to having a blood traitor as a son. The Blacks were never my family. The Potter's were."

"Harry's grandparents?" Molly asked curiously. Her voice slightly shook. She was still afraid of Sirius Black.

"Who else?" Black asked. "They took me in. Without James' dad I wouldn't have got into the Aurors."

"You were an Auror?" asked Ron. "I never knew that!"

"It wasn't widely published when I was imprisoned. Those that knew, knew, those that didn't, well, they remained in the dark," Black shrugged. "I tried to help and the first thing that looks like I did it, everyone turns their back on me. Still, the Aurors know the truth now. I'm safe here, whilst Kingsley leads them on a wild goose chase across the continent."

"Such as life of being a Black," muttered Lupin. "Sirius is hated just because of the family he comes from. They judge him from his surname alone and not for who he is. Yes, he did make a stupid mistake in chasing after Pettigrew but he's paid for that in more ways than one. When the truth comes out…"

"There will be a lot of questions to answer," finished Arthur.

"And I look forward to my Order of Merlin First Class and a compensatory bill worth more Galleons then Fudge will have ever seen," grinned Black.

Lupin rolled his eyes. "Sirius, that is not going to happen."

"Well, it should." Laughter danced in Black's eyes.

Lupin glanced at Arthur. "Don't mind him, he can be an idiot sometimes."

Arthur chose not to comment, instead concentrating on his soup.

* * *

><p>After dinner, Lupin showed the Weasley's around the rest of the house, explaining to them what rooms had already been cleaned and what still needed doing. Black, as Lupin explained, was concentrating on the rooms at the top floor, which mainly consisted of Black's childhood room, his younger brother's former room and the Master bedroom.<p>

Molly was eager to start straight away, but Arthur gently tapped his wife on her shoulder, indicating that it was important they talk to their youngest son. He hadn't been truthful with them about Black. It felt like a betrayal. He was growing up but the worst part of all was Ron was pulling himself further away from them.

His wife motioned for Ron to follow them into their designated bedroom, a room on the first floor landing. The children would occupy rooms further up. The bedroom had been cleaned though Arthur knew Molly would be hard at work in this room first and her children's rooms before she moved anywhere else in the house. He knew she would try to stay away from Black, and he agreed with that. Despite Dumbledore's and Lupin's assurances and Black's cheerful nature at dinner, it still felt wrong to be conversing with a murderer.

Arthur sighed. _Not a murderer. He is innocent. _

How long would it take him to get used to that?

"Mum, dad?" Ron look confused, perhaps a little worried at what his parents wanted to speak to him for.

"Sit down, Ronald," replied Arthur, putting on his best authority tone. He could never really hold it – Molly was the better one at telling their children off.

Ron perched on the edge of the bed, weariness in his eyes. "What is it?"

"Black. Why didn't you tell us?" asked Arthur. Why couldn't Ron trust them?

"Would you have believed me if I told you about Black trying to kill my rat?" he asked.

To be fair, if Dumbledore had not been the one to tell and confirm the authenticity of the story, then Arthur would have a hard time believing that their pet rat was a one-time Death Eater. Not just any Death Eater, but the one responsible for selling James and Lily Potter to You-Know-Who and for framing Black. To anyone who listened to thirteen year old wizards sprouting that story, they would laugh at the absurdity of it all.

"See!" Ron pointed out. "You wouldn't believe it! Just like the Minister and Snape! Never mind that Sirius is innocent!"

"Ron…" Arthur started.

But Molly intervened. "We would have listened. In fact, we would have spoken to Dumbledore about it if you had confided in us. I do not like the idea of you meeting with Black…"

"He was starving, mum!" protested Ron. "And he wanted to help Harry. We were perfectly safe!" His eyes narrowed, only briefly. "You're not going to trust Sirius are you?"

Arthur leaned forward and patted his son on the shoulder. "It's hard to change one's opinion of another so quickly. We are giving him a chance. Even if it may not look like it."

"Spend time with him," suggested Ron. "Maybe you will find something in common."

Arthur doubted that there was anything he and Black would ever share in common.

Little did Arthur know they shared a love of enchanted objects. It was inevitable that they would talk. It was just a matter of time.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think!**

**I always thought Sirius would be a Quidditch player at Hogwarts... Not as good as James though... but I can certainly imagine Sirius playing Quidditch and being ganged up on by the Slytherin's a lot for being a blood traitor. Same reason for saying Sirius was an Auror, though that has never been confirmed officially... I think it fits with ****his character about wanting to fight back against his family and fight for his beliefs. Why not be an Auror? And it would make his betrayal that lot worse... so much so that his time as an Auror is never mentioned. Again, those two things give the Weasley's something to think about... **

**In the next chapter: Arthur finds himself alone in a room with Sirius Black and the twins discover a secret about their heroes... the Marauders... **

**I hope to update again next week. **

**the-writer1988**


	3. Understanding Black

**A/N) Thank you for the comments everyone! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! It turned out longer then I thought it would be... but I've ended up covering a lot of ground.**

* * *

><p><strong>Three<strong>

Black was cleaning.

Molly watched him wearily. Her children were in their own rooms, trying to decontaminate them to a use they could actually live in for the summer. They had, naturally, complained about having to work, but even Fred and George were eager to get their rooms clean. They did not wish to sleep in a room that was filthy.

"I know you are watching me, Mrs Weasley."

His voice startled her. Black had barely said a word to her since they had started this room. Arthur was at work, leaving her in charge of the children. Remus, unfortunately, had had to leave. This was the first time the Weasley family had been in the house alone with Black. It was only the day previously they had moved in.

And it was making Molly feel nervous.

"I know you don't trust me. You can say it if you like," shrugged Black, turning back to cleaning out a small cupboard. A variety of objects lay at the floor at his feet.

Molly bit her lip. What could she say? Before she could stop herself, the one question that had been plaguing her for the day they had spent in the house, tumbled out of her mouth. "Why did you do it?"

Black stiffened and turned to face her, his whole body tense. "Do what?"

"Break out of Azkaban?" She knew the answer of course but why at that specific point in time? "I mean… why then and not earlier?" After all, if Black had been found innocent, Harry would have had a proper family. Black was legally Harry's rightful guardian… His care had only transferred to the Dursley family after Black had proved himself to be a traitor…

"Because I thought I deserved the punishment. I let James and Lily down. They wanted me to be their Secret Keeper. I refused. It eats me every day, tearing apart my soul. They died because I convinced them Pettigrew was the better choice. When Hagrid told me I couldn't have Harry… I decided Pettigrew had to pay," Black sighed. "I stayed in Azkaban because I knew I had to have solid proof Pettigrew was alive to clear my name… I couldn't do that if I didn't know where he was. When I saw him in his rat form in the Daily Prophet, I knew I had to act. I couldn't talk to Dumbledore… He would have refused my requests… Like he did all those years ago when I tried to explain my actions. In those twelve years in Azkaban… my thoughts turned to murder… I didn't want to just bring Pettigrew to justice, I wanted to kill him myself. Harry, Ron and Hermione stopped me. I escaped because I had a purpose… to protect Harry from Pettigrew."

Molly nodded. Black had gone about things the wrong way. He had earned a prison sentence through his own actions; actions that he had not thought through.

"I regret what I did all those years ago. Instead of chasing after Pettigrew I should have gone straight to Dumbledore," Black shoulders dropped. "I should have been the family Harry had… Instead he had…" Black trailed off, unable to complete the sentence.

Molly could see how much his actions had affected him. It surprised her she felt sorry for him. "We all do things we regret."

Black laughed humourlessly. "But what I did? I doubt most people make catastrophic mistakes like _that_!"

"True," answered Molly carefully.

"I'd be out there fighting now if I could. If Dumbledore let me out of this house… I could still track down Wormtail," Black sighed and his expression darkened. "But I can't because Voldemort will know about me being an Animagus!"

Molly flinched at the sound of You-Know-Who's name. Black didn't notice, or if he did, he paid it no mind.

"Voldemort could use me against Harry… That's what Dumbledore is afraid of. And if Harry is anything like James he will come racing after me," sighed Black. He ringed the rag in his hands and then dusted the shelf, placing a few of the objects scattered around his feet back in the cupboard. He threw the rest away into a black bag. "No matter how much I want to get out of this damn house, I can't risk Harry like that. I just can't."

"It shows you have learned," explained Molly, surprised at herself for her want to comfort him. "I don't know you that well, Bl – Sirius – but what I do see is that you wish to protect others. You failed that once… and you won't make the same mistake again by allowing yourself to get caught. That shows bravery and courage and the ability to accept what you must do. You've grown up."

Black's face was a picture. He seemed surprised and his next few words nearly stammered out. "You called me Sirius."

Molly nodded. "I did." Then her eyes narrowed. "But that does not mean I trust you."

Black shrugged, a wry smile on his face. "It's a start."

* * *

><p>Returning to Grimmauld Place from work, Arthur had been surprised to hear what his wife had done that day. She had comforted Sirius Black. It had scared and worried her that she had found it so easy to be a mother to him.<p>

"Why did I do it, Arthur?" she asked. They sat in their bedroom, just talking, just trying to understand her actions earlier that day.

"Because you are that type of person, Molly. You are a mother at heart, always will be. Black is… is someone in need of a home." Arthur tracked his gaze around the room. "This house isn't it to him. He's trapped, unable to do anything. You felt sorry for him because we know the truth, even if we find it difficult to accept."

"But…" Molly shivered.

"All this time we thought of him as a murderer. We still think of him that way but a part of us wants to give him a chance. That part of you, accomplished it today when you offered advice to him. It is what Dumbledore wanted of us," explained Arthur. Then a thought struck him. "You were with Black because you didn't want him anywhere near the children? You were watching him."

Molly nodded, swallowing. "I was. I can't trust him."

"But he's innocent," pointed out Arthur knowingly.

"I know, but it still feels wrong," replied Molly.

Arthur sighed. This was going to be difficult for them. "It's the stigma of the Black family, isn't it? What they were all capable of…"

"You sound like you've accepted it?" Molly almost accused him.

"No, I haven't. I struggle the same as you, but I'm trying to come to terms with it. Black isn't who we think it is. I don't want you or the children spending time with him. To know Ron met him in Hogsmeade… It stuns me our son was in the presence of an individual I strongly disprove of. Yet he has never harmed a hair on either of them. I'm trying to look at Black objectively. The only way we can accept is to not avoid him. And… we can't keep the children away from him forever." Arthur moved from the bed. "We're Gryffindor's. We are meant to be brave."

"Where are you going?" asked Molly.

Arthur had turned towards the door. "You were brave enough to spend the day with him and talk to him. Surely I should to?"

* * *

><p>Arthur had searched the house, looking for Black, assuming he would still be up at this hour. It, after all, was not the time for sleep yet. After an encounter with the grouchy house elf that lived with and served the Black family, Arthur had made his way to the top floor, where he found a golden plaque on a firm wooden door emblazoned with the name 'Sirius'.<p>

He swallowed, suddenly not feeling so brave. He was willingly going to speak to a notorious mass murderer. Could he do it? There was no other place for Black to be in the house. He had to be behind that door.

_Stay firm_.

He raised his hand, formed a fist and knocked three times.

He heard the scrapping of feet, a muttered '_damn' _and then the door creaked open, revealing a startled – and clearly not a very sober – Sirius Black. The stench of alcohol reached his nostrils and Arthur fought the urge to back away. He was here now and there was no going back.

"Mr Weasley," Black was surprised.

"I understand you spoke with my wife today," said Arthur, trying to ignore the smell emanating from the room.

Black cleared his throat. "Sorry about the smell… I wasn't expecting visitors. I'll be right back."

Arthur fought the urge to roll his eyes. _Of course not. _The door closed again. A few minutes later the door opened again. Black had clearly cast a sobering charm. At least he looked and appeared more presentable.

The door was pulled wide open. "You can come in if you want," invited Black.

Arthur would have preferred not to enter the personal domain of Sirius Black but he had come here to speak to the man. Perhaps seeing what his room looked like would give him a better understanding of the man. Learn the measure of him.

Black moved across the room until he was sitting on the edge of the bed. "I did speak to your wife, yes. I'm not expecting you to trust me straight away. But we've all got to try."

Arthur pursed his lips as he stepped into the room, his eyes widening and his expression changing at the contents of the room. Considering the rest of the Black family residence, Black's room was the brightest so far. Black's room was clearly meant as a message to his parents. Throughout the house there were signs of the Slytherin ancestry that the Black family had, however Black's room represented Gryffindor and how different he was from his family.

Black had noticed Arthur's lack of response. "You like it?"

Arthur moved further into the room. "The Muggle pictures were to…?"

Black smirked. "Annoy my parents mostly. But they were good to look at."

Arthur didn't want to even think what Black meant by that. He tore his eyes away from the pictures on the walls of the Muggle girls in bikinis. The room was mostly filled with posters, barely anything representing the magical world. What drew Arthur's attention were the pictures of Muggle motorcycles. Was Black a fan of Muggle technology too?

There were banners of the Gryffindor colours scattered about the room, but Arthur had the distinct impression that Black had done this to his room deliberately.

Black seemed to read his mind for he answered: "I did. My parents loathed it when I was sorted into Gryffindor. I already knew I was different before I went to Hogwarts. I didn't agree with their ideals… I wanted to be me, to choose for myself. I rebelled from quite an early age."

Arthur knew a lot about the Black family. One of the few remaining Pure-blood families left. The majority of them had married amongst themselves. Black's parents were probably cousins though Arthur did not know for sure. Certainly the Black family wanted to remain pure-blood which made their choices for arranged marriages very limited, especially if they preferred someone with their own views and values.

"Was it something you were taught that made you want to rebel?" asked Arthur. He was genuinely curious why Black had taken a different path.

"I don't know. I just remember not agreeing with what I was taught. I wanted to know why my parents thought anyone who was not a Pureblood Wizard was beneath them. It never satisfied me. They could never explain why… I used to sneak out sometimes to play with the Muggle children… I couldn't see what was wrong with them…" Black shrugged. "I guess I was lucky that I could think for myself. I was never the good son my parents wanted. They didn't help matters by not being loving parents… Aren't parents meant to support their children whatever their life choices?"

Arthur frowned. He thought of Percy and how he wished his son would see the truth but all he could do was accept and hope Percy would find his way back to them one day. Arthur prided himself on supporting his children but if he had the views of the Black family or rather, had a child who adhered to Pure-blood supremacy, would he still be able to support them if they chose differently?

"I think it depends on what the choice is," began Arthur slowly, treading carefully. "If one of my children murdered someone, I'd still love them for who they once were but I wouldn't be able to support them. My third eldest… Percy… he doesn't believe Albus or Harry… I struggle to accept his choice… Parents are meant to support their children, to guide them to the path they should take."

Black leaned back. "My parents wouldn't accept anything different. I grew up with their values, their way of life and still couldn't get their support. They were not good parents… They may be my biological parents but it was James Potter's parents that shaped me, gave me a home and guided me. They didn't exactly trust me either because of my name… But they learnt to. I was a second son to them. They took me in when I'd had enough of this place."

"Did you ever try to understand their point of view?" asked Arthur, feeling a lot more comfortable. Black was an interesting person to talk to. If one managed to ignore his infamous reputation, that is.

"I did. I really did," replied Black. "I will always remember what the Sorting Hat said to me…"

It was an invitation to ask so Arthur did. "Why?"

"Because it made me realise that I was different and I should embrace it. There have been good and decent Black's in our family. I could try to change our reputation. The hat's exact words to me were 'My, you are different from the usual Black stock I have sorted. You can be cunning… A Slytherin trait… but one trait is not enough to place you there… You are brave and loyal and have a heart of gold. You are intelligent and use your head rather than believe everything that has been given to you. Yes, I know exactly where to put you… But beware, for this choice is the right one for you, but it shuns you from the rest of your family.' And then it yelled Gryffindor. There was not much celebration though of my Sorting… I think everyone expected me to go to Slytherin."

Arthur had found it surprising Black had been sorted into a house other than Slytherin but listening to the man, and seeing how he was, it struck him that Black had an undeserved reputation. A reputation he had fought against from a young age. It had been his surname that had condemned him in the end in 1981, rather than the person he was. "I'm surprised too," he replied. "How did your parents take it?"

Black chuckled. "Sent me a Howler the next day and demanded a resorting. Dumbledore refused their request… Well, he asked me if I wanted to be resorted. I didn't want to. I received regular Howlers from my parents. Why would I want to go and join a house that did not share the same views as me?"

"A good point."

"I was always fascinated by Muggles. I even took Muggle Studies, mainly to annoy my parents but also because I did want to know more about them. Being a Pure-blood means my knowledge of them is very limited. And I _love _motorbikes. Greatest Muggle invention ever. I even charmed it to fly," grinned Black.

Arthur blinked. Had Sirius Black just said he had charmed a motorbike to fly? "You have a flying motorcycle?"

"Had," Black replied sadly. "I gave the bike away to Hagrid so he could take Harry to the Dursley's. I didn't need it after what I intended to do." His face darkened. "But that is in the past." Black's expression changed to curiosity. "You seemed interested in my flying motorcycle?"

Arthur laughed. "It's just that I charmed a Ford Anglia."

Black leaned forward eagerly. "You did? Enchanting cars are very difficult."

"Motorcycles are harder," Arthur pointed out. "Smaller objects, less components, multiple layer of spells needed to get it to work… harder than a car. It still took me the best part of a decade to work out how to do it. Yourself, Sirius?" He realised at that point he'd said Black's first name, yet he felt comfortable saying it, as if he shouldn't be afraid to.

Black grinned. "I was sixteen when I bought myself one. I used to go to a Muggle garage during the holidays to enchant it. I used it to escape from my parents when I'd finally had enough. It really shocked them when they tracked me down to the garage to see me escaping on a flying motorcycle."

"You were sixteen and you enchanted a Muggle motorbike?" Arthur was amazed.

Shrugging, Black smiled. "I did. Took me a few months but I was adamant to escape from my parents and I wanted a unique escape route. I was never one to do the simple thing." His face changed only slightly.

It seemed he was indirectly referencing his choice to go after Peter Pettigrew. But something struck Arthur then. "Hold on, you were sixteen, you were underage. How could you enchant a motorbike without being caught by the Ministry? And you weren't in the family home either."

"The Black family had wealth and power and respect. All they needed to do is donate money to the Ministry and a simple matter of underage magic would be ignored. Even though I was going against everything my parents stood for, they still protected me, in the hope that I would one day join them," explained Black.

Arthur's face twisted. It seemed wealth and powers were two things that enabled people like Lucius Malfoy to remain at large. They could do no wrong.

"But there is only so much what wealth and power can do. If your crime was serious, you couldn't exactly bribe the Ministry to ignore it," added Black. "If my father had been alive in nineteen eighty-one, then I am sure he would have tried to gain my freedom from Azkaban, believing that I had finally become what they wanted me to be… Ultimately, unless they bribed the right person, powerful Purebloods cannot be released from prison easily. The law is there for everyone, no matter how much the Purebloods try to circumvent it."

"If I was lucky enough to be in your position – or rather in the position to have power and money – I think I would be one of the few who wouldn't use my advantages to gain prestige or to help get around the law," said Arthur. He had raised his children to follow the exact some path.

Black nodded. "Just like the Potter family. They had wealth and power but did they use it? No, they didn't." He moved from the bed and walked over to a desk in the corner of the room. "I think I may have something here that would be of interest to you."

Arthur raised one eyebrow. What could Black have that he'd be interested in?

A shuffle of papers levitated towards him and Arthur took hold of them, his eyes running over the pages of notes and the drawings he had made of Muggle motorcycles. The pages documented Black's several attempts to enchant his motorbike.

"You can have them, if you like," offered Black. "I doubt I will do anything as exciting as enchanting a Muggle motorbike again in my life."

A small smile broke across Arthur's face. "Thanks, Sirius. I'm sure I'll find these papers interesting."

* * *

><p>By the time Remus Lupin returned to the house, the mood between the Weasley's and Sirius Black had changed.<p>

Molly was not so adverse to her children spending time with the man, though she still kept a careful watch on him, but she was beginning to trust him. Arthur spoke to Sirius every day, mainly about enchanting Muggle objects – not that his wife knew anything about those conversations – but both Weasley's found Black was someone they could trust.

They were all sitting down for dinner when Remus Lupin arrived in the kitchen. Sirius was entertaining the younger Weasley's with stories of his youth while Arthur and Molly observed in silence.

Sirius perked up as Remus walked into the kitchen.

"Why so glum, Moony?"

Remus sighed, pulled out a chair and flopped down into it. "You try dealing with werewolves."

"I think I spent seven years at Hogwarts dealing with a werewolf…" grinned Sirius.

"Urgh, Padfoot stop it! I couldn't do what Dumbledore wanted me to do," Remus threw him a look. "I'll discuss it with you later! Just let me eat."

Sirius chuckled. He turned to face George Weasley who was sitting closest to the stew Molly had cooked and was about to ask for it, when he noticed the younger Wizard's eyes staring straight at the two of them. Fred was exactly the same.

Bill Weasley, who had joined his family this evening, stared at his younger brothers. "What is wrong with the two of you?"

"Did you just say what we think you said?" asked George.

Sirius and Remus exchanged looks, unsure of where this was going.

"Do you understand what is going on?" Sirius glanced at Remus again.

"No… I don't."

"Fred! George!" Mrs Weasley's voice screeched out to them. "What is up with you two?"

Identical grins spread across the twin's faces. "Out of all the possibilities…"

"Out of any of the wizards that have walked through Hogwarts…"

"It had to be you two!" laughed Fred. "Did Harry know?"

"Harry knows what?" asked Arthur quietly.

Ron laughed. "I think I know. I forgot, Harry got it from you, didn't he?"

"Got what from you two?" asked Ginny.

Confusion was paramount in the air.

Remus' face flushed in recognition. "Oh."

Sirius whipped his head around. "You know what this is about?"

"I think so," replied Remus.

Fred and George threw apologetic glances towards their parents. "We may have taken something from Filch's office in first year. It was magically protected by a password… We managed to decode it eventually… And it showed us a map. A map of Hogwarts, and where everyone was on it. But most of all, it gave us four names. Four names of Wizards who created this map, not their real names but their nicknames, and you two have just used two of them."

"Oh…" Sirius blinked, understanding dawning.

"You are not denying that you are two of the Marauders?" asked Fred. "That you really are Messers Moony and Padfoot?" He was leaning across the table in wonder.

"I see our legacy has inspired others then," smirked Sirius.

"You should have tried teaching them, Padfoot. Those two were mayhem… but they are not as good as we were," grinned Remus.

The twins rounded on Ron. "Why didn't you tell us you knew who the Marauders were?"

Ron shrugged. "It didn't cross my mind."

"Some brother you are," muttered George.

"I'm sorry, but what is Moony and Padfoot?" asked Bill, providing the question for everyone in the room.

"Shall I explain or you, Sirius?" Remus directed.

"I think you would be better. You did such a good time last time…" Sirius grinned.

"Gee, thanks," Remus rolled his eyes. "Well, you see, when we were at school, the four of us – Sirius, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew and myself – were trouble-makers. Mischief-makers. We liked to pull pranks. It was a failed week if we didn't get at least two pranks in. They did take some planning. James and Sirius were the leaders… But because we found out so much about Hogwarts, we wrote a map, to help future generations of pranksters. We signed it with our nicknames, which derived from the animal forms we took. Mine was compulsory… Being a werewolf, I became Moony. Sirius was Padfoot because he could transform into a dog. Pettigrew was Wormtail because he changed into a rat… and James Potter? He was an animagus too… He could become a stag… so we named him Prongs. I know we left our mark on the school, but that much?"

"We were feared by the teachers. Any prank that we thought we could get away with, we signed it with our nicknames. The Professors suspected of course… But they could never really pin it on us if we made sure we were seen somewhere else in the castle before the prank happened," added Sirius.

"Wow," the twins were amazed. "You two are our heroes!"

"We have always tried to emulate you! Become the next Marauders!" explained George.

"I'm not sure whether I should be happy or sad we managed to corrupt the Weasley twins," said Remus. He looked apologetically over to Molly and Arthur. "Were the twin's jokers before they went to Hogwarts?"

Molly's eyes narrowed, only slightly. "They were but they got worse after they started school."

Sirius tried his best to look sorry, though he mostly came across as feeling proud that the Marauder's legacy had inspired others. "Sorry about that."

Fred and George shook their heads. "You two don't need to apologise! We are glad we found that map! Your legacy will live on! We will make sure of it!"

The glare Molly Weasley was throwing her son's way was enough to make Sirius cringe. He did sort of feel bad, even though it was nice to be worshipped.

"At least we have some successors…" added Sirius. "It would have been Harry if…" he trailed off. Everyone knew what he was going to say. A sad expression formed across his face. "Oh."

Remus hurriedly moved on. "Anyway… I'm sure no matter how hard Fred and George try they won't get as bad as we did. James and Sirius were responsible for the majority of the mayhem that hit Hogwarts during our seven years there."

The twins were practically drooling at the mouth. "Sirius has been telling us some of the trouble he got into at Hogwarts… He has given us some great ideas!"

Remus groaned. "Sirius!"

Sirius tried to look innocent but failed. "Can I just say sorry?"

Arthur spoke very quietly. "I suppose that is adequate. Molly and I would prefer it if you didn't entice Fred and George to cause further trouble. We would like them to get through their last school year unmarred."

Sirius shrugged. "Can do. I've barely scratched the surface of what the Marauders got up to anyway. My lips are sealed."

Fred and George's faces fell. "Oh, come on!"

Fred rounded on his father. "Please?"

Arthur shook his head. "Sorry boys. Maybe after you've left school. But for now we would prefer it if you kept your heads low. With what is going on in the school, anyone associated with Harry will be watched. Things are not going to be the same as they have been."

"No, they won't be," answered Remus.

"All the more reason to have fun though?" Ginny pointed out.

"Not if it means getting on the side of the wrong people," said Molly, making an end to the conversation.

Sirius understood that. He rose from the table. "If you'd like to talk, Remus, I'll be in my father's study." He inclined his head to the Weasley family and then left the room.

* * *

><p>"We've been here a few days now," began Arthur quietly. "What do you think of Sirius?" They had started to refer to him by his first name rather than his last.<p>

"I don't think he is dangerous but he has the capacity to be," answered Molly carefully, "I think I can live here with him. As long as he doesn't try to influence my children."

"I don't think we need to worry about that, Molly," explained Arthur. "Sirius may have been a joker when he was younger – and we may have frowned upon Fred and George's lack of ambition – but can we really stop them? They are legally adults now. They may still be at school, but to try to stop them from talking to Sirius is asking for trouble."

Molly looked at her husband in surprise. "You think we should let him influence them?"

"Fred and George do not need any influence. They would be causing trouble without Sirius' help," shrugged Arthur. "I don't think there is any harm in letting him talk to them about the happier times of his life. Couldn't you see it in his eyes at dinner today? He enjoyed it… Took his mind away from other things. We cannot keep Fred and George away from him and I don't want to either. Sirius needs the company. Besides, I don't think Sirius will entice them… I think he'll keep his word that he will not encourage the twins."

Molly bit her lip. "I think he will to."

Arthur nodded. "It's strange, isn't it? How our opinion is changing… all because we've each spent time with him and we are seeing how he truly is."

"It frightens me, Arthur," whispered Molly.

"I think we do not need to be. He's an ally worth having. And if he is ever proven innocent, I will help him get back on his feet. He, at least, deserves that," said Arthur.

Strangely enough, he meant that. He had more in common with Sirius Black then he ever thought he would. He could even go as far to believe that they could be friends one day. It was a thought a few days ago he would never have expected to have, but one he was glad for.

It was funny really, how easily ones opinion of another could change just by spending time with them. A few days ago, Arthur would not have thought that possible.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**I think its important Sirius be open to the Weasley's, and I think both Molly and Arthur would already know about the dark reputation of the Black family. **

**Molly and Arthur feeling their opinion change... they are still wary, still watchful but they are relaxing, having spent time around Sirius. I think it is important to show that progression. **

**Next chapter... The Weasley children become more involved... **

**And, a question for you all, is there any information as to how long the Weasley's were at Grimmauld Place before Hermione arrived and how long before Harry arrived? I couldn't find anything... I haven't read the books in ages either though I have just started a reread of them. **

**I hope to post the next chapter soon. **

**Until then,**

**the-writer1988**


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